Movable surface marble game with goal pockets



Nov. 12, 1968 s. F. KRAEMER MOVABLE SURFACE MARBLE GAME WITH GOAL POCKETS Filed April 29, 1965 INVENTOR. Sandy F. Kraemer ATTORNEYS 3,410,560 MOVABLE SURFACE MARBLE GAME WITH GOAL POCKETS Sandy F. Kraemer, 520 Laurel, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80904 Filed Apr. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 451,921 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-115) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A player movable playing board accommodating a ball and the like to be moved about the surface, which surface is provided with suitable obstacles and keepers adapted to receive the ball at the urging of a player. The board being provided with handles having a hand gripping area with guards thereon adapted to support the hand gripping area above a support surface.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is a game board which is arranged to be held between two players whereby the board may be freely tilted by both players in an attempt to guide a ball across the board and into a keeper on the same or opposite side of the board from the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game board having manipulating handles for each player which are provided with means to prevent a player from making undue movement of his end of the game board.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game board having manipulating handles having means for holding the handles above a support surface for easy grasping of such handles.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a game device according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the game board of FIG. 1 taken along section line 22.

In general, the game board of the invention comprises a planar playing area having a peripheral railing and a pair of handle members extending beyond each end which are spaced apart for gripping engagement by a player. The game board has a series of pegs mounted upright thereon as obstacles to the rolling of a ball across the surface. A goal is provided at each end and a players goal is on the opposite side of the board. Handle guards are provided on the handles to define a grip area for the player and to prevent the player from taking a greater grip which would permit him to raise the board higher. The guards also provide stands so as to hold the board above a supporting surface for easy gripping of the handles.

In the appended illustrations, a rectilinear game board 1 is provided with a peripheral railing 2 which extends completely around the area 1. An elongated member 3 is mounted on the underside of the board on one side and another elongated member 4 is mounted on the underside on the opposite side of the board. The member 3 has an extension 5 extending outwardly from one end and a similar extension 6 from the other end. Likewise, the member 4 has an extension 7 from one end and an opposed extension 8 from the other end. Each extending portion is provided with a gripping section, as for example, extension 5 has a handle portion 11, and extension 6 has its handle portion 12. A fixed guard 17 isolates the grip area 11 from the handle of the extension 5, and a guard 18 isolates the opposite grip area 12. In a similar manner the extension 7 has its handle grip 13 and the other extension 8 has a grip section 14. A guard 19 iso- United States Patent 0 lates the grip portion 13 from its end member, and a guard 20 isolates the gripping area 14 from the end 8. The planar playing board 1 is securely fastened to each elongated member so that a player at each end may freely tilt the board upwardly and downwardly and, also, sideways. The guard members extend below the handles and provide feet for supporting the handles above a supporting surface on which the board rests so that a player may readily grasp the handles.

Extending from the upper surface of the playing board are a series of pegs, for example, the pegs 21, 22 and 23, which are spaced across the width of the board near its center. Such pegs are secured to the board and extend upright from the surface. Pegs are placed around the board, and some are placed directly in front of each keeper or goal. A peg 24, for example, is mounted on the board in front of an indentation 25, surrounded by a fence 26 which cooperatively form one side of a keeper or goal 30. In a similar manner peg 27 is mounted in front of an indentation 28 surrounded by a three-sided fence 29, one portion being common with the three-sided fence 26. A similar arrangement is provided at the opposite end of the board, and it is shown generally by numeral 31. In the center of the board is a slight depression or indentation 35 which provides a resting spot for a ball or marble to start the game. The pins or pegs on the upper side of the board may be arranged so as to prevent a direct passage of a ball or marble rolling across the board toward a goal. The pegs act as obstacles to deflect the ball and make the controlled movement of the ball more diflicult.

The game is played by placing a ball or marble in the indentation 35 and a player is positioned at each end of the board, the ends being designated by A and B. The player at the A end has one side of the double goal at 31 and one side of the goal at 30, while the player at B also has one goal at each end of the board. Preferably, the goals of a player are not directly opposite but are across the court. The goals may be color coded for each player. The object of the game is to move a ball or marble from the central or start indentation into one of the goal indentations in the fenced enclosures at the opposite end of the table. Since each player has a goal at each end, considerable movement of the board will occur in the attempt to make the marble go into a players goal and not into the opponents goal. The ball or marble is moved by tilting the table and the game is started by the table being held at approximately the waist of the players unsupported by a table or the like. By using an overhead grip on each of the gripping areas, the leverage of the players hand on the grip is limited and the player is prevented from gaining an advantage against the other player. Also, it keeps the players from raising the board higher than about their chests. The guards prevent movement of the players hands down the extensions, also limiting leverage. This provides a means for keeping the players approximately uniform in movements. Reflecting fences may be positioned in the corners to keep the marble from going dead in the corner, and permits various bank shots by the players.

While the invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment there is no intent to limit the spirit or scope of the invention to the precise details so set forth except as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game board comprising a planar member providing a playing area having a complete peripheral railing of a height to retain a marble on said area, said member being mounted on a pair of spaced elongated members having ends extending beyond the end of said member thereby providing manipulating handles; a plurality of upright pegs extending from the upper surface of said' member forming obstacles; a plurality of marbleholding indentations in the upper surface of said memher, with at least one such indentation adjacent each end providing a goal; and a guard mounted on each said handle more adjacent the end thereof than the railing and spaced from said railing a distance of at least as great as the width of a persons hand to extend upwardly from said handles defining a hand gripping area and providing a short leg supporting at least said hand gripping area above a support surface.

2. A game board according to claim 1 wherein at least three indentations are provided wit-h one being a shallow, centerwise indentation.

3. A game board comprising a rectilinear planar member providing a playing area having a complete peripheral railing of a height to retain a marble on said area, said member being mounted on a pair of elongated members each affixed adjacent opposed edges and having ends extending beyond the end of said member thereby providing manipulating handles; a plurality of upright pegs extending from the upper surface of said member forming obstacles; a plurality of marble-holding indentations in the upper surface of said member, with at least one such indentation adjacent each end and one center-wise thereof; and a guard mounted on each said handle more adjacent the end thereof than the railing and spaced from said railing a distance of at least as great as the width of a persons hand to extend upwardly from said handles defining a hand gripping area and providing a short leg supporting at least said hand gripping area above a support surface.

4. A game board comprising a rectangular planar member providing a playing area having a complete peripheral railingof a height to retain a marble on said area, said member being mounted on a pair of spaced elongated members having ends extending beyond the end of said member thereby providing manipulating han dles; a plurality of upright pegs extending from the upper surface of said member and spaced across the surface thereof forming obstacles; a plurality of marble-holding indentations in the upper surface of said member, with two such indentations adjacent each end and a shallow one center-wise thereof, there being a three-sided fence around each said end indentation; and a guard mounted on each said handle more adjacent the end thereof than the railing and spaced from said railing a distance of at least as great as the width of a persons hand to extend upwardly from said handles defining a limited hand gripping area and providing a short leg supporting at least said hand gripping area above a support surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,732 2/ 1890 Pancoast 273-115 879,036 2/1908 Cook 273-1l3 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,942 10/ 1907 Great Britain. 1,274,045 9/ 1961 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner. 

